NGE: A Christmas Carol
by Sith Droideka
Summary: This year, on the 170th anniversary of the beginning of the serial publication of Charles Dickens' masterpiece "A Christmas Carol": Shinji Ikari is a miserly young man running a successful business. Shinji Ikari also hates Christmas, and after a visit from his partner Kowaru Nagisa's ghost, Shinji begins a journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas.
1. Kowaru Nagisa

Kowaru Nagisa was dead to begin with.

Yes, the man who was once partners in fighting the monsters and partners in lending money with one Shinji Ikari was as dead as a doornail. His death was signed off by the Commander, and he was six-feet-under for the last seven years.

Now, Shinji was the owner of a small moneylending company still branded "Ikari and Nagisa". It had been Kowaru's idea; now, there was but a few penguin employees, a clerk named Misato, and Shinji himself.

The little shop of Ikari and Nagisa Moneylenders was dingy, dark, damp, and dank, the picture of early industrial-era small business. Misato was doing her best to stay warm while also work on her paperwork; Shinji, for his part, was in the process of throwing a debtor out of his office. "I'm sorry, sir," the debtor protested, "it's not my fault, I was just a little behind on my loan! Please, just a little more time-"

But his protests were cut off as Shinji opened the door and threw the debtor out, wiping his hands on his shirt once he was done. As a 28-year-old, he was in the prime of his life, but at least to him, he felt much older. His moment of introspection over, he slammed the door and returned to his desk while the sound of Misato's pen doubled.

And then the door opened again. "Happy Christmas, uncle, Misato!" is what Unit 02, a large red man-like machine powered by a coal generator in its back would've said if it was capable of human speech, but as it was it just said "FASDFHAFDHGHAF!"

"Happy Christmas, Unit 02!" Misato said cheerfully before quickly returning to work under her boss's glare.

Shinji then glanced up at Unit 02 and then back to his work. "Bah, humbug," Shinji said.

"Christmas a humbug, Uncle?" is, once again, what Unit 02 would've said, but it just made more unintelligible noise. If Shinji hadn't once piloted an Evangelion, he probably wouldn't be able to discern what his 'niece' was saying. But that didn't mean he could blot out the noise.

"What right do you have to be happy?" Shinji said, "you're poor."

"What right do you have to be dismal?" Unit 02 would've replied if it was intelligible to normal people, "you're rich enough."

Shinji glanced up at it. "If I had my way, I'd stuff every Christmas well-wisher in his own turkey and roast him. And bury him with a stake of holly!" he growled.

"That seems like too much work for you," Unit 02 observed.

"Well, yes, that is too much work. But that's beside the point," Shinji said. "Niece, you keep Christmas in your own way and I'll keep it in mine."

"Christmas has done me good," Unit 02 argued back.

And then Misato carefully edged around the gigantic, smoke-spewing red Eva to enter Shinji's office. "Sir," she said, "The clerks and I were wondering if we could add another piece of coal to the fire…"

"Wark," added a penguin named Pen Pen, waddling underneath Unit 02 to enter Shinji's office.

"Not enough, eh? Well, one piece is enough to avoid the unemployment line!" Shinji roared.

Misato nodded, slightly pale, and returned to her post with the panicked-looking Pen Pen. Then the door to the shop opened again and two women entered. "Happy Christmas," one of them, a lady in a lab coat who looked vaguely familiar, said, "this is the office of Shinji and Kowaru?"

"Indeed," Shinji said gravely, rising from his seat. "And to what pleasure-"

"We need you to pilot the giant robot, Mr. Ikari," the other woman who also looked vaguely familiar, one holding a clipboard and a pen, said. "My name is Maya Ibuki, and this is Dr. Ritsuko Akagi," she said, indicating the other woman. "At this time of year, with Christmas approaching, we go around the local businesses and ask for reputable ladies and gentlemen to sign up for a few hours of piloting giant robots to hold off threats from the nation…"

"Ah, good," Unit 02 said, although Maya stared at it in fright and Ritsuko in confusion, "my jolly uncle is very generous to piloting!"

Misato shouted a translation for them. "Many of us feel that we must take the burden off of society to pilot giant robots to help the nation at this time of year," Ritsuko said, apparently believing in redundant exposition.

"Have you looked in the prisons and the poorhouses?" Shinji said.

"Oh, plenty of times," Maya said cheerfully.

"Oh! Excellent," Shinji said, "for a moment I was worried."

"We don't want the poor to bear the brunt of the piloting," Ritsuko said.

"What can I put you down for, sir?" Maya added.

"Nothing," Shinji said.

"You wish to remain anonymous?" Ritsuko said.

"I wish to be left alone," Shinji replied, "I won't take away the idle people's work."

"Uncle-" Unit 02 began to protest, but Shinji cut it off by barking, "don't you have other things to do this afternoon?"

"Sadly," Unit 02 said. "I'll sign up and leave you to wallow in depression, uncle." It crouched down, wrote something on Maya's clipboard.

"T-thank you?" Maya said.

"Oh! Come have Christmas dinner with me and Unit 00 tomorrow, uncle," Unit 02 said once it reached the door.

Shinji shook his head. "Why did you ever get married?" he said.

Unit 02 laughed, which sounded more akin to tortured souls than anything else. "Why," it said, "I fell in love!"

"That's the only thing sillier than a merry Christmas," Shinji said bitterly.

Unit 02 shrugged. "It's no use," it said, "a happy Christmas to you and a happy New Year."

"Humbug."

"Happy Christmas, Unit 02," Misato said.

"Happy Christmas," Unit 02 replied. Then it left the store, hanging a wreath on the door on its way out.

"Now then, sir, about volunteering?" Maya said.

"Well, now," Shinji said, walking out from behind his chair to get face-to-face with Maya and Ritsuko, "let's see. I know how to treat the poor. My taxes pay for those robots, so they can pilot them."

"But some would die from the exertion!" Ritsuko exclaimed.

"If they'd die, then they'd better do it, and decrease the surplus population!" Shinji roared.

Ritsuko and Maya glanced at each other. "I think we've taken enough of Mr. Ikari's time," Ritsuko said, "let's go."

The two left, and with the door slamming the sound of Misato and the penguins' pens resumed. And then someone knocked at the door again. "God rest ye merry gentlemen…" came from the other side of the door, so Shinji marched over to it, wrenched the door open, and threw the wreath at a short kid wearing glasses.

"Humbug!" Shinji shouted after him, as he run away.

The day continued, with Shinji quietly seething at Christmas. The sun set, and Misato reentered his office. "Mr. Ikari, sir, it's closing time," she said.

"Very well," Shinji said, "I'll see you at eight tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow's Christmas, sir," Misato said.

"Eight-thirty then."

"Please, sir, half an hour off is hardly customary for Christmas Day," Misato said.

"Hardly customary?" Shinji said whispered, and he looked up from his desk at Misato.

"I-it's not, sir," Misato said, "it's not at all."

"And how much time off is customary, Mrs. Kaji?" Shinji said.

"The whole day, sir," Misato said. "And why open the office tomorrow? Other businesses will be closed. You'll have no one to do business with, and you'll have to pay the coal costs for myself and the clerks."

"Yes," Shinji said, rubbing his chin, and then he stood up. "Very well. It's a poor excuse for robbing a man's wallet every December 25th. But, as I seem to be the only one who knows that…"

"Take the day off, sir?" Misato said. Shinji nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Ikari."

"Be here all the earlier the next morning!" Shinji snapped as the clerks erupted into conversation and began filing out. He stormed over to his things, put his top hat and cloak on, grabbed his cane, and left for his home.

* * *

Shinji lived in a flat which had once belonged to his old business partner, Kowaru Nagisa. The building was, so to speak, a dismal heap of brick on a dark street. It was old enough now, and dreary enough, for nobody lived in it but Shinji, the other rooms rented out as offices. The yard was so dark that even Shinji had to grope around to reach his front door.

The door, by the way, had a large door knocker on it with little use nowadays considering that no-one ever called on Shinji. It was a nondescript door, with one slight defect: currently, it looked like Kowaru's head.

Shinji, who had been unlocking his door, had to fight the urge to scream (although he did yelp a little). He had a spine now, he would keep it together, it was just a hallucination… he closed his eyes, counted to ten, and when he reopened his eyes, the knocker was back to normal. Then he continued into his home.

To say that Shinji wasn't startled would be a lie, but he still tried to assure himself that the bad memories of this day were affecting his mind. Still, the moment had passed, and the world was as it should be. And yet…

Shinji made his way up the staircase. He didn't care about the darkness; darkness was cheap, and Shinji liked it. But the incident at the door made him wary. To try and stave off any further hallucinations, he was forced to light the flat and search each room.

Once his search was complete, Shinji extinguished the lights and retreated to a room with a fireplace. One confrontation with his best dressing gown later, Shinji was sitting in front of a roaring fire, eating some gravy and cheese filled dinner food.

And then a servant's bell began ringing. Shinji had no servants, and had no need for them: Shinji didn't want to give up his money or his time to deal with them. So needless to say, it wasn't supposed to happen. Shinji rose to his feet, and then the fire went out; the room was still illuminated from a ghostly bluish light emanating from the stair-well.

The ringing stopped, and Shinji heard something… clunking up the stairs. The light was growing closer and closer, until finally a ghostly Kowaru Nagisa, wrapped in chains, walked onto the landing. "Shinji Ikari…" he moaned. The fire relit.

"K-kowaru!?" Shinji said, and he quickly sat down again. And yet, Kowaru clunked closer and sat down in another chair next to Shinji's. "H-humbug," Shinji said, scared out of his wits. "Who are you really?"

"In life, I was your partner," Kowaru said, "Kowaru Nagisa."

"You look like him, but I don't believe it!" Shinji said.

"Why doubt your senses?" Kowaru said.

"Because a little thing- undigested beef, or a crumb of bad cheese- can affect them! Yes, there's more of gravy than of grave about you!" Shinji said, pointing his finger at Kowaru in an accusatory stance.

Kowaru chuckled a little.

"Why are you haunting me!?" Shinji wailed.

"Do you believe in me or not?" Kowaru said.

Shinji tried to calm his rapidly-beating heart and said, "I do, I have to. But why do spirits walk the earth, and why do they come to me?"

"I'm condemned to walk the earth in death because I would not walk the earth in life," Kowaru said. "I entered as optimistic and a believer in mankind; I left a pessimist and exploiter of mankind, and now I must witness what I might have shared with the earth but did not."

He gave a tug on his chains and pulled them into the firelight. They were long and cruel-looking, cast iron with ice covering some of the links. Small spikes dragged along the floor, but did not impact the wood. "You're chained," Shinji said, shivering, "tell me why."

"I wear the chain I forged in life," Kowaru said, shaking it a little, "I made it link by link, yard by yard. I made it of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it. Is its pattern strange to you, Shinji?"

Shinji was still trembling and did not reply. Kowaru continued: "or would you know that the weight and length of the chain you bear yourself? It was as full and heavy and as long as this, seven Christmas Eves ago. You have worked on it since! It is an impressive chain!"

"Oh, Kowaru," Shinji moaned, "speak comfort to me, Kowaru."

"I have none to give, Shinji, not can I tell you what I would. I can only say a little more. I cannot rest, I cannot stay, I cannot linger anywhere. My spirit never walked beyond our counting-house, not once we left the machines, and because in life my spirit never roved beyond the narrow limits of our bank, I must make weary journeys endlessly!"

"Seven years dead, and traveling all the time?" Shinji whispered.

"No rest, no peace," Kowaru stated, "and the incessant torture of remorse. Yes… and yet, no amount of regret can make amends for what I did."

"But you were always a good man of business, Kowaru!" Shinji said.

"Business! Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were all my business," Kowaru said, with a bitter look on his face, "and I squandered it on the ways of the world." He shuddered and muttered something.

And then Kowaru rose to his feet and drew up his chains, and Shinji could see the spikes entering Kowaru's flesh, though no blood seeped out. "Hear me, Shinji," he said, "my time is nearly gone."

"I will!" Shinji exclaimed, "but don't- don't be hard on me!"

"I am here tonight to warn you, that you have yet a chance and hope of escaping my fate," Kowaru said.

"You always were a good friend," Shinji whispered.

"You will be haunted by three spirits," Kowaru said.

"Is that the chance and hope? I'd rather not, then, one ghost is enough," Shinji said, "couldn't take them all at once, could I, Kowaru?"

"Without their individual visits, you cannot hope to shun the path I tread. Expect the first tomorrow, when the bell tolls one. The second on the next night on the same hour, and the third upon the night after that when the last stroke of twelve has ceased. Look to see me no more; and look that, for your own sake, you remember what has passed between us," Kowaru said. He walked over to the window, wrenched it open, and jumped out. Shinji ran over to the window to see him drifting up into the sky to join a great flow of similar ghosts, dressed in ratty clothes or fine things and wrapped in chains.

Shinji slammed the window shut and returned to his seat. "Humbug," he said, although it could not placate his nerves.

Before long, he extinguished the fireplace and headed to bed for what would hopefully be a night of empty silence and dreamless sleep. Hours passed, and although Shinji thrashed in his large bed, he did not awake until the bell tolled one. He awoke, looked around, and saw no ghost, and then turned over to try and go back to sleep.

And saw, watching him, a large, purple, machine-creature with a steam engine on its back, which seemed… vaguely familiar to Shinji. "Are-are you the spirit Kowaru warned me about?" Shinji said.

"ADFGH. AGHAFG AGATHA RFHGAFGHAFGJ, " it said, which, roughly speaking, meant, "I am. I am Unit 01, the Ghost of Christmas Past."

* * *

**A/N: Yes, it is time for a Christmas Carol story, featuring NGE because I decided it worked better than my original idea. Much of this story is heavily inspired by the Sir Patrick Stewart and Muppet Christmas Carol, although this part is more Muppets than Stewart or the original book.**

**A Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all who read this and all who don't!**


	2. The Ghost of Christmas Past

_ "Are-are you the spirit Kowaru warned me about?" Shinji said._

_ "ADFGH. AGHAFG AGATHA RFHGAFGHAFGJ, " it said, which, roughly speaking, meant, "I am. I am Unit 01, the Ghost of Christmas Past."_

The Ghost of Christmas Past was very bright, far too bright for an Evangelion to be making, and it was glowing steadily brighter. "Spirit," Shinji said, "please extinguish that light-"

"Why?" Unit 01 said, "my past brothers and sisters are forced to hide their light-"

"Cover it!" Shinji said, bringing up a hand to block out the bright light.

"Very well," Unit 01 said, and the shine reduced to tolerable levels. Shinji brought his hand down.

"What business brought you here?" Shinji demanded.

"Your welfare," Unit 01 replied.

"A night's unbroken rest might aid my welfare," Shinji snapped.

"Your salvation then," Unit 01 said. "Take heed." It walked (well, waddled, as it was a bit too tall for Shinji's bedroom) over to the window, and it opened it. "Come, my son."

Shinji, figuring that was just his Evangelionese being a bit weak and he had misinterpreted the last line, said: "I beg you, spirit, I won't survive going out the window!"

Unit 01 drummed its fingers on the windowsill (cracking it), and then shrugged. "Just climb on my shoulder," it said, "my size is pretty inconsistent as it is."

It jumped out, and when Unit 01's shoulder was even with the window, Shinji clambered onto it. Then Unit 01 began flying. "You could've told me about that!" Shinji howled as they went higher and higher, flying towards what looked like the dawn… "Spirit, what's that light!?"

"That is the past, Shinji," Unit 01 replied, "it is your past."

Shinji and Unit 01 touched down in a rural-looking middle school somewhere in this vague country's countryside. All at once, Shinji could smell a thousand scents that brought with them a thousand long forgotten thoughts, hopes, joys, and cares. "It's my old school," Shinji said, "I was a boy here." A group of students ran out of the building, and Shinji started waving at them. "That- that's Toji! And Kensuke and Hikari! Hello! Hello, guys, hello?"

"These are shadows of your past, Shinji. They can neither hear nor see you. Let's go inside," Unit 01 said.

Soon, Shinji and Unit 01 were in a run-down classroom. A wimpy-looking boy was writing something at his desk, looking bored, but Shinji was enthusing about the room. "I know it all too well, spirit. The desks, the chalk. I chose my profession in this room!"

Unit 01 stopped him, pointed at the boy, and said, "and is he all too familiar?"

"It was always like this, at Christmas," Shinji noted, "I was always alone. All the others went home for the holidays, but mom disappeared and dad was distant. He just left me here all year."

The younger Shinji glanced out the window, sighed, and resumed writing. "I hate Christmas," he said.

"I was often alone, more time to practice my music or read and study," the normal Shinji said, "a chance to get more work done, even if it was just because all of my friends were gone."

"Let's go to a different Christmas," Unit 01 said. Now, the young Shinji was older, a young teenager; the classroom was more rundown than ever, and the younger Shinji was still writing something.

"Shinji!" someone, a girl, called, and another teenager ran into the room. Shinji recognized her instantly: she was his sister Rei, dead for many years in the present from unknown causes. "Shinji, you can come home now!"

"Rei, stop bothering me," young Shinji said, although Shinji knew that his younger self had felt a surge of hope. "Father wouldn't want me-"

"Yes, he would," Rei said, and she ran over to him and tugged at his arm. "Father's changed, he wants you home now. C'mon, let's go, Shinji, let's go _home_."

Older Shinji and Unit 01 watched as Rei pulled her brother from the classroom, talking excitedly about the future. "She was usually quiet," Shinji noted as he and Unit 01 strode outside to watch Rei and younger Shinji get in a carriage, "it was a surprise to see her so excited, but we always had a strong relationship. Her death was a huge blow to me…"

"And yet, you ignore the person she made?" Unit 01 said, "a being no different from myself?"

"I often forget that Rei helped make Unit 02, spirit," Shinji said slowly, "it's-it's wrong of me, perhaps…" He thought of how he always ignored Unit 02's holiday invitations. Why did he really avoid it?

They watched the cart trundle off and the surroundings blurred. Then they reformed at a large building with a tacky leaf-shaped logo over it. "Do you recognize this place, Shinji?" Unit 01 said, nodding to it.

"Do I recognize it? This was my first job!" Shinji said, fighting hopelessly to quell a smile. The door to the building opened, and an old man peered outside.

"It looks like it's Christmas Eve, everyone," the man said, looking out at the snowy street where lamplighters were already toiling, "it's time for the Christmas party to begin!"

"It's old Fuyutsuki," Shinji said, pointing at Fuyutsuki as he closed the door, "bless his heart, he's alive again!"

Unit 01 and Shinji entered NERV's headquarters to see so many people Shinji hadn't seen in years, or people in different positions before NERV had been closed down by SEELE and replaced with new staff and new buildings many years ago. He saw Fuyutsuki join his father, he saw a younger and more cheerful Misato chatting with Kaji whilst holding a glass of wine, he saw those two well-wishers Ritsuko and Maya laughing by the buffet table, he saw his sister talking to a younger Kowaru, both with small smiles on their faces, and he even saw Unit 01.

"I knew you looked familiar," Shinji said, "I knew I saw you somewhere."

"I'm your mother's soul stuck inside a large purple machine because my normal body was dying and I wanted to defend our country," Unit 01 said, "and technically speaking, I'm not even dead. I have no idea how I'm doing this because I'm not dead in the real world."

Shinji blinked. "Oh," he said, "I… guess that makes sense? But Kowaru called you a-"

"Mr. Nagisa's over-dramatic," Unit 01 said. "Yes, I was there. But that's not why we're here. Just go back to reminiscing, I guess."

Shinji huffed and, with dawning comprehension, realized why he was here. "Spirit, could we just move on?" he said nervously.

"Go back to reminiscing," Unit 01 said, and Shinji noticed that it was now scanning the crowd, probably for his younger self… and _her_.

Shinji sighed. Unit 01 clearly wasn't listening to him, so he said, "well, Fuyutsuki and Father taught me what it was like to run a business, or a paramilitary organization, for that matter."

The crowd died down and Unit 01 ducked as Gendo Ikari stood. "Thank you for your attention," he said, his calm, quiet voice ringing out in the building, "welcome to NERV's annual Christmas Party. Due to the… nature of our proceedings, I will make a toast." Fuyutsuki handed him a glass of champagne and Gendo lifted it. "To all our spirits and health, for this year and the next. Thank you all, and Happy Christmas." He handed the champagne glass to past Unit 01 and the rest of the crowd broke into applause. Festive music filled the room and Shinji watched past Unit 01 daintily sip the champagne.

"Truly inspiring," Unit 01 said, although Shinji still didn't feel very inspired himself, "such a small matter, to make us silly folks so filled with gratitude."

"Small?" Shinji said.

"Why, isn't it? Just a few thousand yen…" Unit 01 said.

"It wasn't that," Shinji said, "it wasn't that, spirit. Father had the power to render us happy or unhappy, and when he gave that happiness it was the same whether it was a fortune or a trifle."

For a moment, Shinji remembered how fragile his relationship with his father had been, up until SEELE shut down NERV, how his father had expressed remorse and then stepped out of his son's life so that he "could not corrupt it any more". And then Unit 01 evidently found what it, er, she, was looking for.

"Come," she said, "let us go see what Gendo's up to."

Shinji glanced back at Gendo's chair, but he was gone. Then he realized that Gendo was dancing to applause with Unit 01 in the center of the HQ. "In retrospect, I wonder how I missed that you were my mom," Shinji said.

"You blotted it out of your mind due to bitterness over the last five years," Unit 01 said, "also, you spent all of this party either reading lists or talking to a girl, so you really weren't paying attention. Speaking of which…"

Gendo and Unit 01 stopped dancing, bowed to each other (Unit 01 only narrowly not squashing Gendo), and walked to either side of the dance floor. Fuyutsuki stepped forward to dance with Unit 01, while Gendo made his way through the crowd towards a younger Shinji, who was currently reviewing a budget. "Ah, Shinji," he said, "put down that paper. Now is not the time for business."

"But Father, do you know how much we're spending on this party?" Shinji said.

"This is Christmas, a time for generosity. Stop working. Enjoy yourself," Gendo said, "besides, we must keep morale up. That's an order." He readjusted his glasses and headed back into the crowd. Younger Shinji sighed, put his paper down, and took a tentative step into the crowd… and walked right into Asuka Soryu, knocking them both over.

They got back onto their feet, Asuka glaring at him, and younger Shinji said, "s-sorry…"

"Watch where you're going, dumbkopf!" Asuka snapped, but before she could go anywhere Gendo pounced from out of the crowd.

"I'm glad to see you two've met each other," he said, "Shinji, this is one of our pilots, Miss Asuka Soryu. Miss Soryu, this is my son and a member of the bridge, Shinji Ikari."

"P-pleased to meet you," past Shinji said.

Asuka, meanwhile, seemed to have a bit of her anger drained out. "Pleased to meet you, too," she said, glancing nervously at Gendo.

"Well, I'm glad you two met," Gendo said. He left into the crowd again, leaving Shinji and Asuka to stand around awkwardly.

"So…" Shinji said, "pilot? I… I used to pilot."

At this Asuka turned to him and began talking animatedly about piloting, and specifically how great she was at it, although the current Shinji and Unit 01 didn't hear this exchange; at the end of it, she just sort of stood there self-importantly, until Shinji carefully said, "care to dance?"

"Of course," Asuka said. She took his outstretched arm and headed towards the dance floor.

Shinji watched them leave nostalgically, even when she gave him a little punch on the arm for stepping on her foot. "You remember this meeting?" Unit 01 said. He nodded. "Then do you, perhaps, remember a different meeting many Christmas Eves later?"

"Oh, no, please not that, spirit, just send me home," Shinji said, "not that spirit…" But the world vanished to be replaced by a snow-covered park where two bundled-up people sat in a park bench. The sun had already set and the lamps were lit; Shinji and Asuka were now in their mid-twenties, and the current Shinji had no choice but to listen to them.

"It's a year until our wedding," Asuka said, sounding… disappointed and bitter.

"Well, it can't be helped, Asuka," young Shinji said, "with SEELE breathing down our neck and Kowaru's death a few years ago taking away our best worker, how could we marry now?" Asuka sighed, and he added, "there's not even enough for a decent home, the investments haven't grown as they should. You didn't want to stay in Kowaru's musty old quarters…"

"That's what I said last year," Asuka said, "and what you said last year."

"Business continues to be poor," Shinji said.

"We run a firm now," Asuka said firmly.

"And barely clearing expenses," Shinji said.

"That's all you care about now," Asuka said bitterly. "It doesn't matter what you do, now all you want is money."

"But this is for you," Shinji said, "I love you, Asuka."

Asuka took a deep breath. "Do you?" she said, "our engagement's… old. It was made when we had nothing to lose, when Kowaru was here to help you and you still cared for me. You've changed. I decided to marry a different man. I think that if you had dated me yesterday, today, or tomorrow, you wouldn't've decided to marry me. A poor girl."

She rose to her feet. "Asuka, no," Shinji said, and he stood as well, "Asuka, please-"

"I release you," Asuka said, and she was clearly trying to be as aloof as possible. "W-with a full heart, for the love of who you used to be." The past Shinji did nothing but gape.

Then she turned her back on him and began walking through the snow, away from Shinji. She looked back once, but past Shinji did nothing but sit there. Then she turned her back for the last time. "Go after her, don't be afraid!" snarled the present Shinji, and he tried to grab his past self, but his hands just passed through him, "go after her, you fool!" But the present Shinji just kept sitting there. "Why doesn't he-"

"I told you," Unit 01 said, "these are the shadows of the things that have been. They are what they are."

"Then show me no more!" Shinji said, rounding on his 'mother'. "Why do you enjoy torturing me!?"

"They are what they are," Unit 01 repeated. "Do not blame me."

The snowy landscape faded and the two were now standing in Shinji's flat's ground floor. Shinji turned towards his stairs but noticed that the darkness was illuminated by a pale glow from Unit 01. "Turn out that light," he said, "leave me, spirit."

But Unit 01 didn't move. Shinji rounded and grabbed a basin from beside the door and brought it down on Unit 01. "Leave me!" he roared as he forced the basin down, slowly forcing more and more of the Ghost of Christmas Past into the bin. Then the light vanished and Shinji let the basin fall with a metallic "clunk". He stormed up the stairs and to his room, determined not to let himself think about his time with Asuka. She'd left the company and he'd never seen her again…

And then he noticed that somewhere in the distance a clock stopped tolling and a light erupted from beneath the door of an adjoining room. He breathed in and out several times and then moved to the door and wrenched it open.

The room now had a roaring fire, and was filled with baskets of fine fruits, vegetables, and cooked poultry and hams. Confectionary-filled jars littered the floor, and a fine red carpet now covered the floor. And, in a holly-trimmed chair, sat none other than Gendo Ikari, his suit now sporting a red-green-white tie, and his white gloves decorated with snowflakes.


	3. The Ghost of Christmas Present

The room now had a roaring fire, and was filled with baskets of fine fruits, vegetables, and cooked poultry and hams. Confectionary-filled jars littered the floor, and a fine red carpet now covered the floor. And, in a holly-trimmed chair, sat none other than Gendo Ikari, his suit now sporting a red-green-white tie, and his white gloves decorated with snowflakes. A set of notecards was in his hands, but he quickly tucked them in his suit. "Welcome," he said, "come in and know me better, Shinji."

"Father?" Shinji said, taking a shaky step into the room.

"I am the Ghost of Christmas Present, one of over 1800 brothers," Gendo replied. "And yes, I am also your father."

He stood and walked over to Shinji. "For now, though, we are both hanging in jeopardy," Gendo said, "I am aware that I never was the best of fathers, and for that I wish to apologize. However, it is not just my salvation hanging in the balance- it is yours, too."

"What does that mean?" Shinji demanded. "Father- no, spirit, tell me what's going on. Why are there so many foodstuffs?"

"This," Gendo replied waving one arm over the food, "is the bounty of Christmas."

"Quite the bill," Shinji said, taking a second look at the heaping foods.

"Indeed," Gendo said. He strode over to the door. "Have you ever noticed that everything seems wonderful at Christmas?"

"In all honesty, sir, no," Shinji said, "perhaps I've never understood about Christmas."

Gendo smiled a little. "Before this day is done, you will understand," he declared, and he opened the door to reveal Christmas Day outside.

Shinji and Gendo stepped outside into sunshine and a bustling crowd. People of all social stripe were walking in the streets, and vendors were already hawking their Christmas Day wares. Everyone around Shinji and Gendo were saying "Happy Christmas" and tipping their hats to one another. Gendo took off towards a set of vendors and sprinkled some sort of water over the food, using a bucket he produced from nowhere. "Uh, spirit, what are you doing?" Shinji asked him.

"I am imparting a Christmas blessing," Gendo said, slowly, "at this time of Christmas, it is important that everyone feel the _cheer_ and _warmth_ of the holiday."

Shinji privately wondered if his father knew anything about cheer and warmth ("besides, we must keep morale up" seemed to be more pragmatic than idealistic) but he did not speak. Instead, he followed Gendo along the streets, watching him sprinkle his Christmas water on food, clothing, toys, and especially the vendors and the poor and homeless.

"Is there anything in particular you want me to show you, or should I just choose of my own accord?" Gendo said.

Shinji thought for a moment. Gendo would probably choose something either sadistic or mind-numbingly boring. "I wish to see… friends. No, kin. Show me a family. No. Unit 02. Show me Unit 02."

Gendo's little smile returned. "The machine that Rei made?" he said, "the one which, even now, calls you uncle?"

"Yes, that one!" Shinji said.

"Very well," Gendo said, "follow me."

Shinji followed Gendo through the city until they reached a rather middle-class area of the city. The traffic was much less, and as such Gendo stopped less and less often to sprinkle his Christmas water over people; it was only noon-time when they reached a residence that Shinji knew must contain Unit 02 and its family, for it was the only one with an oversized door.

Gendo and Shinji simply walked in through the door and into the dressing room, to find that Unit 02 and its… wife? Husband? Did Unit 00 even _have _a gender? Spouse. They found Unit 02 and its spouse having Christmas with friends in a well-decorated, middle-class drawing room. Friends in this case, by the way, referring to some more old NERV staff that Shinji vaguely remembered: Hyuga, Aoba, and their spouses, whom were your typical upper-middle-class ladies.

"Now that we've sung the carols, what shall we do?" Unit 02 asked, although (as usual) that came off as some sort of screech that made Hyuga and Mrs. Aoba flinch.

"A game, Unit 02, a game!" Unit 00 said, clapping its 'hands', "we should play games on Christmas!"

"A what?" Hyuga said.

"A game," Shinji said.

"A game!" Mrs. Hyuga said, "didn't you hear it?"

"Do people play games on Christmas?" Shinji asked Gendo.

Gendo pulled out a set of notecards from his suit and flipped through them. "Yes," he said, and he stowed away the cards and readjusted his glasses just as Aoba said "Blind man's bluff!"

"Oh yes," Mrs. Aoba said, "simply wonderful!"

"I'll be the blind man!" Unit 02 said, but Aoba shook his head.

"I'll play," he said, "no offense, but you're a bit too large, madam." Mrs. Aoba affixed a bandana over Aoba's eyes, and Unit 00 went into the next room and began playing piano music, specifically, a cheerful Christmas ditty. The Hyugas spun Aoba around, and then he began tottering around the room, chasing after Mrs. Aoba.

"Strange game," Shinji commented, and he watched as Aoba determinedly followed Mrs. Aoba around the room.

"He's cheating!" Mrs. Aoba squealed, "oh, Unit 02, stop him, he's cheating-"

"He's cheating," Shinji told Gendo, pointing at Aoba, "he's definitely cheating."

"You've got that right, son," Gendo said. Aoba tackled Mrs. Aoba, stole a kiss, and then yanked his blindfold off.

"So I was right!" he said, "it's my lovely wife!"

The guests laughed, and Shinji felt the strange urge to join in. "Say, wasn't your uncle supposed to be here?" Mrs. Hyuga said when Unit 00 returned from the piano room.

"I invited him, but he didn't want to come today," Unit 02 said. "He's always too busy wallowing in misery on Christmases to spend any quality time with his family."

"Oh, why invite him in the first place?" Unit 00 said. "All he'll do is go 'bah, humbug' and complain about the festivities all day. He's such a miserable guest, and such a miserable person too!"

"Now, now," Unit 02 said, "just because my uncle is a grumpy, miserly, unfriendly, and unjolly soul doesn't mean we should exclude him from Christmas!"

"Why not?" Aoba said, "it's not like any of us really like him! 28 going on 60, he is. I made the mistake of borrowing from him back when Nagisa worked with him, and I didn't pay that loan off for four years!"

"He's a moneylender," Hyuga said, "what do you expect?"

"Well, I wouldn't mind if he just stayed holed up in that old house all day," Mrs. Aoba said, "pay him back for what he nearly did to us."

"Besides," Mrs. Hyuga said, "it's not like you're really his niece, Unit 02."

"That doesn't matter," Unit 02 said firmly. "The only person he harms with his humbug routine is himself. Even if he doesn't want to be merry at Christmas, I will still extend that invitation all his days."

"Oh, you care so much about such a miserable person…" Unit 00 said, "your big heart is what I love so much about you, I suppose. However, did you hear what happened to Maya and Ritsuko?"

"Let's… go somewhere else," Gendo said, putting a hand on Shinji's shoulder and turning him away from Unit 02 and its guests as they began gossiping.

"No more," Shinji moaned, "I wish to see no more." They stepped outside and were now in a run-down slum as the sun set. "Spirit, why have you brought me to this rotten corner of town?"

"It's Christmas here too," Gendo said. He pointed at a rough wooden door in front of them. "That's Misato Kaji's house."

Gendo splashed water at their door and then stepped inside; Shinji quickly followed them. Unlike Unit 02's well-to-do home, the Kajis' home was cramped and decidedly lower-class. Rough wooden furniture was the centerpiece of the first floor, and two kids, one, a boy with brown hair, the other, a girl, with Misato's weird purplish hair, were setting the table, talking animatedly about Christmas dinner. By the cooking in fire was who could only be their father, Ryoji Kaji, another person that Shinji vaguely remembered from NERV.

He was wearing an apron and tending to his food. "Kaito, could you please check the goose," Kaji said, and the brown-haired boy nodded and stuck a fork in something baking.

"Father," the girl said, "when will mummy and Rei be back?"

"Soon, Riko," Kaji said, and he opened a pot and dipped a spoon in it. "This is done," he added, and he picked the pot off of the stove and carried it over to the table.

"Rei?" Shinji said. "I thought-"

"Your sister died of complications during childbirth," Gendo said gravely, "something that she wanted your mother and I to hide, even from you. Her daughter was named after her, and Misato volunteered to watch her so that Chairman Kihl of SEELE couldn't take her. SEELE, for all its power, has never cared about the poor. When he died, Rei II was already a part of her family, however, and she decided to stay with her adoptive parents rather than her grandparents."

Shinji could detect a certain amount of bitterness with the last sentence, but said nothing. Then the door opened, and Misato walked in with a young girl who looked very much like Rei on her shoulder. They were both singing "Good King Wenceslas", and Misato was carrying a crutch in one hand while supporting Rei on her shoulder with her other hand.

"Welcome home, dears," Kaji said, and he picked Rei off Misato's shoulder, gave her a little hug, and put her on the ground. Misato gave her her crutch, and she hobbled over the table.

"Is it time for Christmas dinner?" she said, with all the excitement of a seven-year-old for such a momentous occasion, "is it time for dinner!?"

"Yes, calm down, Rei," Riko said, "come help set the table."

Rei hobbled off to help Riko as best she could, leaving Shinji and Gendo to eavesdrop on Misato and Kaji. Kaji gave her a kiss, and then Misato said, "we went down to the church. Rei loves it there, we sang with the congregation and then went out and saw the ducks…"

"She always loved ducks," Kaji said, "I don't know if her mum did, but…"

"She told me that she hoped that people saw her at church, actually," Misato said, watching Rei help with setting the table, "said it might be pleasant for them to remember upon Christmas Day… who made lame beggars walk and blind men see…"

"A remarkable child," Shinji noted, "my… niece."

"Unit 02 is more your niece than Rei," Gendo said. "Rei is more a Kaji than an Ikari."

Kaji moved away from the door and examined the goose. "Looks like it's done," he said, moving Kaito away from it, "time for Christmas dinner, everyone."

He pulled the goose out of the oven and brought it over to the table just as Riko and Rei finished setting the table. "The goose!" Rei exclaimed, "the goose!" And then she started coughing.

"Don't get too excited, Rei," Misato said, rushing over to her daughter at once. "Is- is everything ready, Ryoji?"

"Yes," he said, "everyone, sit down, please…"

The five people took their places around the table. The goose was small, as was the other entrees, and yet Shinji could see that this was perhaps the happiest moment in the entire year for these five people. "Such a meagre feast," Shinji commented.

"But very much appreciated," Gendo said.

"And I pay Misato such a small amount…" Shinji said. He knew she was married, but he didn't know she had kids to begin with. She had never wanted to have kids when he knew her in NERV…

Misato raised a glass and said, "I propose a toast." Kaji and the kids raised their glasses. "To Shinji Ikari!"

And Kaji slammed his glass down on the table. "Misato, really?" Kaji said,

"Him? How many times have you explained to him-"

"It's only right that I should lift a glass to my employer," Misato said, "he's the only one who'd hire someone like me on such short notice, and for so long. I give you Mr. Shinji Ikari, the founder of the feast."

"The founder of the feast?" Kaji said in a disbelieving tone, "I have to work extra just so that we can afford the rent sometimes! If he was here, I'd show him the children he puts so close to throwing out on the streets because he's odious, stingy, wicked, unfeeling-"

"Ryoji, the children!" Misato said, "it's Christmas Day, not a day for bitterness!"

Kaji sighed and said, "very well, I suppose that on Christmas we must drink to the health of Ikari."

"To the founder of the feast, Shinji Ikari," Misato said.

"To Mr. Ikari," the kids and Kaji chorused.

"May he be very merry and happy this day. I have no doubt he's enjoying himself," Kaji said bitterly, and he drained his glass.

"Cheers," Misato said, and she drank her own glass. The kids copied.

And Rei looked around the table at everyone and said that famous line, "God bless us, every one!"

"Spirit," Shinji said, "Tell me, what's wrong with Rei?"

"She's been weak since birth," Gendo said, "in… great pain, I think."

"Spirit, tell me if she'll live," Shinji said, "will Rei live?"

Gendo looked away from Shinji and sighed deeply. "That is the future," he said, "I represent the present. However… I see a vacant seat by the chimney-corner. And a crutch, without an owner. If these shadows remain unaltered…"

"She'll die," Shinji whispered.

"If she's going to die, then she'd better do it and decrease the surplus population!" Gendo barked.

It was like a gut-punch. It wasn't just that Rei was his niece, no, he'd had a better relationship with Unit 02 than the girl he hadn't known existed for her entire life. No, all his cruelty and hatred, his casual ignorance of the poor and both what they had to do and what they were afflicted by, were thrown in his face. "Oh, spirit," he moaned, and hid his face in his hands.

The surroundings faded away, and now Gendo and Shinji were in a prison. A prisoner was playing "Silent Night" in one cell, and in another a group of prisoners were beginning to sing along. Gendo and Shinji walked past them, and Shinji saw, with a jolt, a very familiar red-headed guard singing along with the prisoners and a fellow guard of hers.

_"Silent Night, Holy Night…_

_All is calm, all is bright…"_

Then the surroundings dissipated again, and Shinji and Gendo were at a lighthouse, where a group of workers were singing around a rickety wooden table and several bottles of wine.

_"Round yon virgin, mother and child…_

_ Holy infant so tender and mild..."_

Gendo and Shinji continued onwards, and they were now in the hold of a ship, somewhere far away, where the sailors were singing too.

_"Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh!_

_ Schlaf in himmlischer Ruh..."_

And then they were in a military base on the coast. Soldiers and robot pilots were together in the barracks, hiding from a blizzard outside, and they were singing just the same as everyone else.

"_Silent night, holy night…_

_ Son of God, love's pure light…"_

And now they were in a coal-yard, where workers were leaving the mines as black snow drifted down on them.

_ "Radiant beams from thy holy face…_

_ With the dawn of redeeming grace…"_

And then Gendo and Shinji were outside near a churchyard, where the beggars and the priests were singing. The sun had already set, and the clock above was illuminated and almost at twelve.

_"Jesus, Lord at Thy birth…_

_ Jesus, Lord at Thy birth…"_

Shinji followed Gendo into the churchyard. It was deserted and surprisingly quiet now, letting Gendo slump onto a snow-covered bench. His breathing was becoming more haggard, and his hair was growing whiter. "I don't have much time left…" he said. "Shinji, I haven't been perfectly honest with you. This is just as much for my own salvation as yours. What I did to you, the neglect during your childhood, the bringing you back to NERV just to be a pilot and a loyal staffer, was inexcusable. But I will not ask your forgiveness. I ask only that you learn not to be bitter and miserable like I was."

"What are you really?" Shinji said, and then he noticed two somethings squirming in the shadows behind Gendo. "Father-"

"I told you, I am the Ghost of Christmas Present," Gendo said, "one of many who tries to redeem themselves by showing others the error of their ways, and in doing so realizes the error of our own ways."

The shadows moved behind Gendo again.

"Why didn't you tell me about Rei, then?" Shinji said.

"Your partner had just died, and after he did you were a changed man. It wasn't just Miss Soryu who noticed that," Gendo said. The snow began picking up, and the bell began tolling. "Shinji, there is something else you must know."

The shadows emerged from behind Gendo, and Shinji saw that they were misshaped children. One, a boy, and the other, a girl, glared at him with what felt like immense hatred. "The girl is Want, the boy Ignorance, children like those I sent into battle," Gendo said, "beware them both, though beware Ignorance more, for upon his brow Doom is written."

Four gongs.

"Why is there no one to watch them?" Shinji said, "why did it have to be them?"

"Because they are the poor," Gendo said, "they were taken from the prisons and the poorhouses." And, on a bitter note, "and the schools."

Want and Ignorance tried to lunge forward, but Gendo held them back. Eight gongs. "The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrives," Gendo said. He was starting to disintegrate.

"No, father!" Shinji said, and he grabbed at Gendo's suit, trying to hold him to the Earth. "You've made me realize what I am, you've shown me what's wrong-"

"Then show that to the future," Gendo said. The bell tolled twelve, and Gendo, Want, and Ignorance dissipated. And, like a creeping mist over the ground, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrived.


	4. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

"Then show that to the future," Gendo said. The bell tolled twelve, and Gendo, Want, and Ignorance dissipated. And, like a creeping mist over the ground, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come arrived.

It was a black-cloaked figure, only slightly shorter than Shinji. Its hands were pale and its feet were hidden beneath its cloak. And it said nothing. "Are you the spirit whose coming was foretold to me this night?" Shinji said, but the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come merely nodded.

"Spirit," he said, "I will… I will follow you. But, why do you not speak?"

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come glanced at him, then glided over to him and put one of its cold hands on his shoulder. The world twisted and, with a sound like water rushing down a bath-drain, Shinji and the Ghost were at the stock exchange. "Spirit," Shinji said, "I know this place." Rain was pouring and a group of stockbrokers were conversing in a tight circle nearby. "I know these men, these women!" Shinji exclaimed.

He walked over to them, but stopped when he heard one of them say, "so it's true? He's dead?"

"That's what I've heard," a well-dressed man said, "his funeral's going to be the cheapest funeral in history."

"It'll be the least-attended funeral in history too!" a woman cackled, "I'd be surprised if the minister attended!"

"I feel sorry for the gravediggers, though," another woman said, "first they have to go pilot, then they have to bury someone who never gave a damn about them or their service!"

"Well put, I don't think any of us ever much liked him," a third gentleman said, "now, how about some lunch?"

There were sounds of general agreement, and the group headed off, away from the stock exchange. "Spirit?" Shinji said, glancing at it, "who is the man they were speaking of?" On some level, he already knew who it was.

But the Ghost simply lifted one hand and pointed. The stock exchange melted away, and now Shinji and the Ghost were in a drab, crowded street by a set of warehouses. The snow was black and shoved against the sides of the street, and a steady drizzle fell on the crowds. The ghost was still pointing, at the doors leading into a warehouse basement.

Inside the basement, it was dark, cold, and wet. However, it wasn't lifeless: a man wearing what looked like once fine clothes was sitting near a column, a crate in front of him, and three people were waiting in front of him. One of them, an old woman, had a cloth bag; the second of them, a middle-aged woman, had a set of bed drapes; the last, an old man, was carrying a set of wooden boxes.

"And what do we have here?" the man behind the bench said, "what do you have for ol' Ren? What about you, Tomiko?" he croaked, "what do you have for me?"

The old woman giggled and moved forward. She put the bag down on the crate and began pulling items out. "Look at these fine spoons, and don't forget these fine buttons!" she said. "And these sheets, got them while he was still lying there, I did!"

Ren took the spoons and the buttons and examined. "Mother of pearl, I see…" he said, and he put the buttons in the crate. "And very fine workmanship, too… 500 yen a piece, for both!"

"500 yen!" Tomiko said, "that's it?"

"I've always been too generous to lovely women, I must admit," Ren said, "but I suppose I'll throw in 50 yen for the pearl." He felt the sheets. "They're still _warm_!" he said, "I don't pay extra for the warmth, you know!"

"You should," Tomiko retorted, "it's the only warmth he ever had."

Ren paid her and Tomiko stormed off. The second woman stepped up. "Don't try any of your tricks on me," she said, "all I've got is these drapes."

Ren examined them. "Still got the hoops, I see," he said, "very fine, very nice. 1000 yen for the lot of it."

"1000 yen! That woman gets 1000 for two spoons, and I go through all the trouble of taking these drapes down and get the same deal for it?" the woman said.

"Fine, 2000 yen, and that's my highest offer," Ren said. "I'm not like _he _was, I'll actually pay out sometimes!"

Perhaps in spite of himself, Ren cackled, as did the old man. "Spirit, no more," Shinji said, turning away, "show me… show me some human emotion, spirit." The Ghost nodded and the world warped again. Now they were in the foyer of Unit 02 and Unit 00's home, and Unit 02 was holding a letter. "This is enough to pay the mortgage off…" Unit 00 whispered, and it hugged Unit 02. "We're saved!" it screeched, "oh, thank God he died when he did-"

"This isn't what I meant, spirit," Shinji said, "please, spirit, show me a family. Show me warmth. Show me… show me Misato Kaji's home!" The Ghost nodded and lead Shinji outside. The sun was setting yet again, and once more they were in the Kajis' area of the slums. The Ghost and Shinji entered the Kajis' home. Kaito was slowly sweeping the floor, and Riko was slowly setting the table; Kaji was checking the food and although he was trying to be strong for his children or something, Shinji could see that he was still tearful.

Almost in spite of himself, Shinji looked by the chimney-corner, on the opposite side of Riko, and saw a lone chair. "No…" he said, but the Ghost said nothing.

"When will mum be home?" Kaito said.

"I-I don't know," Kaji replied, "she's been walking slower since yesterday…"

The door opened, and Misato entered, carrying a crutch, but no Rei. "Hello, everyone," she said, and she placed the crutch on the stool; then, she opened up a cabinet on the floor and pulled out a bottle.

"Misato, not now," Kaji said, but she shook her head and opened the drink, downing it.

"It was a gift," she said, "the doctor wouldn't take it…" she stared miserably at the bottle, and then put it on top of the cabinet.

"Kaito, please go help your sister," Kaji said. Kaito nodded and left; Kaji joined Misato by the whiskey bottle. "How was the churchyard?"

"It was… it was very green, it would've done you good to see it," Misato said, and she wiped a tear, "I-I got a nice spot by the river, where she can see the ducks…"

"She always loved the ducks," Kaji said.

Misato and Kaji started crying, and Shinji turned away from them. "Spirit," he said, "please tell me it isn't so!"

But the Ghost didn't answer. It merely grasped his arm and lead him outside, into a graveyard. In the distance, the church where Gendo had vanished stood, and the riverbank that the graveyard ran along side held no ducks. The sun had set, but feeble light was flickering from a torch by a grave being dug. The light was struggling against the drizzle, and before long the gravediggers emerged, grabbed their torches, and walked by Shinji and the Ghost, grim and silent. "Spirit," Shinji said, pointing at it, "are these the shadows of what will happen, or are these shadows of what _might _happen!?" The Ghost did not answer.

Shinji turned to the gravestones and noticed that they, at least, were still covered in snow. He reached down and brushed the snow away from the grave, one that read "Rei Kaji" and gave her age as eight. "This… this doesn't have to happen, spirit," Shinji said, rising to his feet. "The future can change, I know it can!" he said, "I'm not the man I was before! I-I'll change this! I'll make sure she lives."

The Ghost examined him, and then it pointed again, at the grave that was just being dug. "Oh spirit," Shinji said, "please, I know what's going to be over there. I don't…"

But still the Ghost pointed. Shinji swallowed and slowly made his way from Rei's grave to the open grave. An ethereal light was now hanging over the grave, allowing him to see that a coffin was already in place. "Spirit, please," Shinji said, "I know what I've done wrong, and I know that my past doesn't justify how I acted! Please, spirit, let me go back!"

But the Ghost said nothing, only watched him and kept pointing to the gravestone.

"I've changed!" Shinji pleaded, "I really have!" He was starting to cry, but he pressed on, "I'll remember what you've taught me, what all the spirits have taught me! I'll honor Christmas, what it stands for, all year round, I will help Rei and Unit 02 and my father and everyone else, please, just give me that chance!"

And still the Ghost said nothing. However, it did reach its other hand up and pull its cloak down, revealing his sister. "R-Rei… please, why don't you speak?" he said, clutching at her feet, "why can't you talk?"

And then, trembling, he began brushing the snow away from the gravestone. "The future is not set in stone," he repeated to himself, "I will not be that hated man. I will watch out for all mankind… I will make welfare my business." He glanced up at Rei one last time, but she said nothing. And then he returned his attention to the gravestone, upon which was written "Shinji Ikari".

He stumbled backwards into the grave, and looked up at the sky. Rei's head appeared over him, and part of her looked… sad. "I mean it!" Shinji roared, "I will! I will keep Christmas in my heart!" Then he looked down, and saw that he was sprawled on an open coffin, his own dead body, arms crossed, its eyes closed for eternity. The ground around the grave gave way, and Shinji and his body were sent tumbling, tumbling into an inky black void…

Shinji awoke on his floor, tangled in his sheets, almost unconsciously screaming. And then he sat up, felt his face, his chest, his arms… he was alive! "I'm alive!" Shinji said, "I'm… I'm alive!" And then a thought occurred to him. He ran over to his window, flung it open, and called out to a passing boy, "boy! What's today!"

The boy looked up at him in confusion. "Why, it's Christmas Day, sir!" he called back.

Shinji quickly backed away from the window and exclaimed, "thank the spirits, I knew they could do it, of course they could do all that in one night, of course! Oh, thank you, Kowaru, thank you for your help, and Rei, and mum, and Father…" He rushed back to the window. "Boy!"

"Uh, yessir, guvernor?" the boy called.

"Is that prize turkey still in the window of the poultry shop, in the next street?" Shinji called.

"The one twice as big as me!?" the boy said. "Yes, sir!"

"Well, run to the shop and tell them to deliver it to the home of Misato Kaji," Shinji said. He ran to his bedside drawer, extracted a bag filled with yen, and then threw it out the window for the boy to catch. "Deliver it to the Kajis and you'll get what's left over in that bag!" he said, "come back and I'll double that!"

"Oh, yes, sir!" the boy said.

"And!" Shinji said, before the boy could take off running, "don't tell them who sent it, will you? I want this to be a surprise!"

The boy nodded and ran off, and when he returned, Shinji gave him the promised amount. Shinji cheerfully dressed and was out the door to begin Christmas day. He greeted everyone with an enthusiastic "Merry Christmas!", took part in a snowball fight with the child who he'd scared off yesterday and his friends (the child had to be Kensuke's son, he realized, and one of the kids looked suspiciously like Toji and Hikari), and then brushed the snow off to visit church.

Once in church, he sang with the choir loudly, even if he wasn't exactly a good singer. That wasn't the only thing he accomplished, though; after singing, he was pulled aside by Asuka in the church foyer. "What're you doing here?" she demanded.

"Hello, Asuka," Shinji replied cheerfully, "say, I need help with something."

"What?"

"I want to help the poor and the imprisoned," he said, "have you seen Dr. Akagi and Miss Ibuki anywhere?"

Asuka frowned and leaned against the foyer wall, her arms crossed. "Can't say that I have," she said, "but I can help you with something else. I'm a prison guard now, if you need someone to help get food or something to the prisoners, then…"

"Thanks," Shinji said. He turned to leave, then said, "by the way, Asuka, if you ever want your position at my moneylender's back, you can just ask. I think I'm going to be restructuring soon."

Asuka looked taken-aback, and Shinji left, whistling "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". He made his way to his shop, buying a sack of coal on the way, and left the coal on the floor near the currently-empty stove with a note to the clerks; then he left his shop to find that Ritsuko and Maya were still soliciting in the area. "Ladies, could you please wait!" Shinji called, running up to them.

"Oh, Mr. Ikari," Maya said, "we-"

"Sign me up," Shinji said, "a week's worth- no, a month's worth of piloting, and if it ever looks like one of the poor pilots won't be able to survive the next mission, call me in!" Then he turned to Ritsuko and pulled several bags of money out. "And this is for the war effort," he said, shoving them into her arms. He quickly signed off on Maya's clipboard, said, "a very happy Christmas to you!" and ran off before the shock could wear off Ritsuko and Maya.

From there, Shinji spent the rest of the morning and half of the afternoon dropping coins in the cups of beggars and wishing others a happy Christmas and New Years. Asuka met up with him in a farmers' market. "Well," she said, "if this is for real…"

"I'm surprised you're so friendly still," Shinji said, buying a whole basket of apples, "after what happened five years ago."

"I'm surprised you're not so greedy anymore," Asuka said, "unless this is a scheme…" she narrowed her eyes, and then Shinji shoved the basket of apples into her arms and walked over to another vendor.

"Don't worry, Asuka," Shinji said, "I've learned the error of my ways, and I've learned to keep the spirit of Christmas in my heart all year round." He bought a set of vegetables and poultry, and the two set off to visit the prisons, chatting about the past.

By the time evening fell, Shinji bid Asuka adieu ("by the way," she said, before leaving, "I think I might take you up on your offer…") and headed for Unit 02's home. He hesitated before knocking- the memory of the Evangelions celebrating his death sprung to mind- and then he knocked.

Unit 00 answered the door, and if orange-and-white bio-mechanical things could look surprised, Shinji was sure it would. "U-uncle Shinji!" it said, sounding more like a trainwreck than real speech, "what a delight!"

"See, I told you he'd come to dinner!" Unit 02 said, emerging from the hallway, "come in, Uncle! You're just in time!" Shinji gave the Evangelion a tentative hug, and then followed the Units to dinner with the Aobas and Hyugas.

And for the first Christmas in five years, Shinji wasn't alone.

He left early so that he could visit Gendo and Unit 01. The sun had already set, and he walked past the churchyard where, to his satisfaction, there was no grave for Rui Kaji or Shinji Ikari; he paid his respects at the graves of Kowaru and Rei Ikari, though, and arrived at Gendo's home late.

It was fortunate he could ask for directions, and this time he did not hesitate to knock on the door. Unit 01 answered the door, and gave him a bone-crushing hug, while Gendo merely nodded. "Happy Christmas, Shinji," Gendo said.

"Happy Christmas, Father," Shinji said.

Gendo smiled a little, like he had when he was the Ghost of Christmas Present. "I see our lessons were not wasted, and in our own ways, we have all atoned for what we did," Gendo said, "that is, if you'll forgive us for leaving you at that school and dragging you back just to work for us."

Shinji thought for a moment, but then he nodded. "I forgive you," he said quietly, "and I think Rei would too. She was the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come… who was Rei's daughter's father, by the way?"

"Kowaru Nagisa," Unit 01 said, "but he died before Rei gave birth…"

Shinji nodded. "I think you should volunteer to fight too, Father," he said, "that's the best way to atone."

"I'll look into it," Gendo said. "Now, go forth and get in the giant robot, Shinji."

Shinji returned to his flat and slept, perhaps truly content for the first time in his life. But routine was routine, and in the morning, Shinji was back at his moneylenders. Asuka had already come by and was working on brushing up on her accountant skills in a backroom, and the penguins were yet to arrive, when Misato arrived. She was more cheerful than Shinji had ever seen her. "Good morning, Mr. Ikari," Misato said.

Shinji looked up from his work. "You were not at work at the agreed-upon time, Mrs. Kaji," Shinji said lowly.

"Sir, it won't happen again," Misato said.

"I have been too kind on you," Shinji added. He stood up. "Therefore, a change in employment will be necessary!"

"Sir, I have three children to feed!" Misato said, paling considerably. "Please, Ryoji can't bring in all the money himself!"

"Therefore, I have no choice but to raise your salary!" Shinji barked.

"Sir, I- what?" Misato stopped mid-plea, as if she had heard completely wrong, and Shinji smiled at her.

"You've been doing the work of three clerks," Shinji said, "so you deserve triple the salary. And if you need any help, be it medical or legal or anything else, I would be happy to assist."

Misato staggered backwards into one of the penguin clerks' chairs, and then stood and saluted. "Yessir!" she said, "I have a kid, her name's Rei, she needs medical help badly-"

"She'll have the best doctor money can buy," Shinji promised. "Speaking of which, I think this counting-house's been too small for too long. If we want to help the poor the best, we need to do well ourself, and I think it's time to find out what happens when we have someone working to expand the company…"

* * *

Shinji was true to his promise and so much more. With his help, he became like a second father to Rei (who did _not _die, by the way) and as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a neighbor as the whole city knew. Against the strange alien creatures attacking the city, he sortied with his father and his mother; he built the new "Ikari, Soryu, and Kaji Moneylenders Ltd." into the largest bank in the city and used it to help finance new homes, medical care, and education for the poor and homeless.

In time, he married Asuka for real, and he taught his children to follow the teachings of the ghosts, even if he never called them that by name. He visited Kowaru and Rei I's graves, made Misato the #3 in his company, and even gave Ryoji Kaji and Unit 02 a job. And every Christmas, Shinji invited his parents, Unit 02 and Unit 00, and the Kajis to his and Asuka's home.

And in the end, Shinji knew that when he died, he would not be remembered as a miser or a miserable old man, but as a testament to that famous saying used by Rei II: "God bless us, every one."

* * *

**A/N: And so Shinji has learned his lesson. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all who read this, and everyone else. And, perhaps, keep an eye on this fic for a little bonus chapter explaining why Gendo, Rei I, and Unit 01 showed up as the ghosts.**

**Also, fun fact: originally, Pen Pen was going to be the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. I changed it because Rei is way, way creepier.**

**Almost all of the credit, as usual, goes to the Muppet and Patrick Stewart Christmas Carols as well as the original work by Charles Dickens.**


	5. The Epilogue of Gendo Ikari

Gendo Ikari was seated in his office, his hands clasped in his trademark steepled pose, his glasses scary and shiny. It was Christmastime again, his son's favorite holiday, and tomorrow Gendo and Yui/Unit 01 had been invited to the glistening residence of Shinji and Asuka Ikari-Soryu for Christmas dinner.

Everything had gone exactly to plan.

It had been a simple plan, from his point of view, back at NERV. Back before Kihl shut it down, like he had GEHIRN. It was very simple: send his son away for a few years but keep Rei around. Shinji's loyalty to Rei would be maximized, and then Gendo would "change" and allow his son to come home. However, he would instead pilot the giant robots against the homicidal aliens attacking the nation. After two years, Gendo moved Shinji away from that duty to bridge duty, allowing his son to meet people like Nagisa. While it was removing an experienced pilot, Shinji had struggled with some mental issues much like many of the other pilots; quite simply, Shinji was too valuable to sacrifice to the aliens, and by moving Shinji to the bridge he earned Shinji's loyalty.

Things had continued to go well after that move. Shinji and Nagisa struck up a friendship, and Shinji met NERV's best pilot Soryu, whom he also became friends with. With some… help from Gendo and Yui, as well as Soryu's mother (a scientist who worked with Rei and was later constrained, amnesiac, to Unit 02) Shinji and Soryu fell in love and her loyalty to him and his loyalty to Gendo kept Soryu piloting.

And then SEELE struck. NERV was disbanded, replaced with a new army-controlled group, and all her staff were discharged. Shinji and Nagisa created a moneylending outfit, Gendo and Yui "retired", Soryu worked for her fiancée, etc. And then came that Christmas Eve, so many years ago, when Nagisa died and Rei admitted to her parents that she was pregnant with his child.

That had been quite the shock, since Gendo and Yui had been relatively sure that he was gay.

Rei died in childbirth, and her child went to live with the Kajis. Soryu left Shinji's operation, and he hired Misato Kaji. She had had quite the turnaround: from Major and alcoholic to poverty-stricken mother of two thanks to Kihl's interference before he lost interest upon realizing that Ryoji Kaji was no longer a threat. And so Gendo wallowed in bitterness, especially after Fuyutsuki and Kihl died with the latter never receiving his comeuppance.

And then, three years ago, on Christmas Eve Gendo was visited by a ghostly Fuyutsuki. Fuyutsuki and three other ghosts showed him the error of his ways, and he had arranged for Yui and Gendo to help Shinji overcome the error of his ways. A deal was made with Nagisa and Rei, who had clung to the earth not just because of their sins but to keep an eye on their daughter, and an agreement was reached: if Shinji changed, and Gendo acquired Shinji's forgiveness, then Nagisa and Rei would leave the world, Gendo and Yui would be redeemed for their actions, and Shinji would become a better man.

One who, coincidentally, had built up a powerful business and philanthropic empire that now financed a new NERV that Shinji had placed his father in charge of. And that was the situation now: Gendo Ikari was once again in charge of a powerful paramilitary organization, Rei and Nagisa had someone to look after their daughter, Shinji and his wife were happy and happily married with a family, Yui had grandchildren and a whole bunch of Evangelion companions and whatever she was planning, and Soryu (well, Ikari-Soryu now) was in charge of the pilots while Misato Kaji had returned to Tactical. And all it took was some ghosts and piloting a few robots.

Gendo left his office and entered the bridge, where the senior NERV and ISK Bank staff had already gathered. He clapped his snowflake gloves together, and everyone looked up at him on the balcony. He said, "welcome to the annual Christmas Eve party. I believe my son has some words to say?"

Shinji made his way out of the crowd, climbed up the stairs, and arrived on the balcony with Gendo. "Merry Christmas, everyone!" Shinji said bombastically, "and God bless us, every one!"

The crowd cheered, and Gendo smiled. Yes, everything had worked out in the end...

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, it's late. Blame my vacation. But I wanted to provide this little, possibly non-canon, addition to NGE: A Christmas Carol to assure all of you that Gendo is still Gendo, even if he's become nicer.**


End file.
